An online craze where young people put washing machine pods in their mouths has led to St John Ambulance issuing advice about swallowing “potentially lethal” poisons.

The national first aid charity has provided details of how to act in an emergency after someone has ingested a dangerous substance such as laundry detergent.

It follows a Midlands school issuing a warning to parents and guardians about the ‘Tide Pod Challenge’, which has spread across North America via the internet.

Alan Weir, clinical director at St John Ambulance said: “We do not condone this dangerous activity which is anything but a challenge and urge people not to participate in the latest social media craze.

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“If someone has ingested chemicals or poisons, such as laundry detergent, it is vital to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and give them as much information as possible as to what chemical has been swallowed.

“Keep monitoring the patient’s breathing and level of response, and be prepared to give CPR if they become unresponsive.

“If the patient vomits, keep some of it in a bag and so that the poison can be identified by emergency services.